I spy with my little eye some cop being punished for losing vital evidence. Nope.. still can’t see it happening
NO DISCIPLINARY HEARING FOR BLUNDER OFFICER
A police officer who lost key evidence in an investigation into illegal spying on Sunday Mail sources is not facing disciplinary action.
A disc containing CCTV footage was found by a Police Scotland officer from the force’s controversial Counter Corruption Unit (CCU) while “clearing their personal locker”.
The CCU obtained the images as part of a molehunt after we revealed a forgotten suspect in the Emma Caldwell murder inquiry 11 years ago.
The footage showed a serving officer and retired policemen they wrongly believed were linked to the leaking of confidential police records meeting in a coffee shop.
Derek Penman, HM Inspector of Constabulary in Scotland, said in a damning report in June that Pol ice Scotland should investigat e the circumstances which led to the loss of CCTV footage.
Two weeks ago, the disc was found in an officer ’ s locker, Deputy Chief Constable Iain Livingstone has conf i rmed in a letter to Holyrood’s justice committee.
And Chief Super intendent Alan Speirs yesterday said: “We cannot confirm or deny the name of the officer involved.
“However, we can confirm that a disciplinary hearing has not been held at this stage and that the circumstances will form part of the independent inquiry by Durham Constabulary.”
Durham chief constable Mike Barton is heading an independent investigation into Police Scotland unlawfully hunting for Sunday Mail sources.
Former detective Gerry Gallacher, whose work reinvestigating the inquiry into Emma’s murder in 2005 uncovered a forgotten suspect, had 100 days of data communications targeted without proper authority.
Last month, the force were ordered by